Christine: Today's question comes from Jerry. His question relates to minor versus major damage. He asks,

Q: How do you know when to let something go or when to actually charge the guests for damage?

A: Well, Jerry, this is a common question that a lot of homeowners have with regards to damages that happen in their vacation homes when a guest is in there. Now there is no hard and fast rule on what to charge and what not to charge, however, there are some guidelines. If it is something that is we consider wear or tear or the cost of doing business then it's not really appropriate to charge the guests for it. For instance, let's just say the heater broke or the air conditioner broke while the guests are there, you wouldn't necessarily charge them for it unless it is something due to their negligence while they are in your home.

For instance, let just say your home is in Colorado and it's thirty degrees below zero. If they turn off the heat while they are there and your pipes freeze it is something that you could charge them for, however, if it's something like they break a glass, lose a piece of silverware, something like that, that's just a matter of cost of doing business. I wouldn't nickel and dime people to death. What I do is I actually tell my guests, "If you break something that you think the person behind you would need, such as if you drop the clothes iron or maybe coffee pot, just go out and buy another one." And this way. the guests aren't worried about me charging them $100 to replace a $20 item.

I hope you enjoyed this episode of Ask Christine. If you have a question, we'd love to hear from you. Please leave a message at (512) 493 4340. Again that's (512) 493 4340.

Don't forget to enjoy your vacation home yourself. Happy renting by owner!